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CWD-Related Regulations

 

On May 17, 2002, the NCWRC adopted emergency rules to prevent the introduction of CWD into North Carolina and to minimize the spread of the disease should it be found within our state. The NCWRC's rules related to CWD are listed below. If you have any questions about these rules, please contact the agency's Wildlife Management Division, (919) 707-0075.

 

Rules for Importation of Deer Carcasses and Carcass Parts


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In 2006, the NCWRC implemented the first carcass rule, which prohibited importation of whole carcasses and high-risk carcass parts from CWD-positive states. In 2018, the NCWRC implemented an importation ban from all states and later amended that rule to provide an exemption for South Carolina until Aug. 1, 2020. 

Importation of whole carcasses from any member of the family Cervidae (e.g., deer, elk, moose, or reindeer/ caribou) from any state, Canadian province, or foreign country outside of North Carolina is prohibited. Anyone transporting cervid carcass parts into North Carolina must follow processing and packaging regulations, which only allow the importation of:

  • Meat that has been boned out such that no pieces or fragments of bone remain;
  • Caped hides with no part of the skull or spinal column attached;
  • Antlers, antlers attached to cleaned skull plates, or cleaned skulls free from meat, or brain tissue;
  • Cleaned lower jawbone(s) with teeth or cleaned teeth; or
  • Finished taxidermy products and tanned hides.

 All carcass part(s) or container of cervid meat or carcass parts must be labeled or identified with the:

  • Name and address of individual importing carcass parts;
  • State, Canadian province, or foreign country of origin;
  • Date the cervid was killed; and
  • Hunter’s license number, permit number, or equivalent identification from the state, Canadian province, or foreign country of origin.

 

Captive Cervid Program

On Sept. 30, 2015, captive cervid regulatory authority was transferred from the NCWRC to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). Below are the current regulations for the program. If you have questions, contact the NCDA&CS Farmed Cervid Program by phone (919) 707-3250 or by emailing farmedcervid@ncagr.gov.